Combination multiple wire termination block and wire stripper

ABSTRACT

The invention is a combination multiple wire termination block and wire stripper for use in electrical systems requiring a plurality of common connection points. A supporting body or block containing a rotatable metal shaft is secured to a chassis or other convenient support and the insulated wires to be connected are simply inserted in appropriate holes therein and the shaft rotated a fraction of a revolution to partially strip the wires and simultaneously force the bare ends between the internal sides of the block and the shaft, thereby making a common electrical connection. Counterrotation effects a disconnection.

United States Patent Gregory 1 1 July 4, 1972 s41 COMBINATION MULTIPLEWIRE FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS TERMINATION BLOCK AND WIRE l9l,72812/1906 Germany ..339/274 STRIPPER 1,149.685 4/1969 Great Britain,.339/97 R [72] Inventor: David L. Gregory, Huntsville, Ala. Primaryfimminer joseph H McGlynn [73] Assignee: Avco Corporation, Huntsville,Ala. Attorney-Charles M. Hogan [2] 1 Appl 101338 The invention is acombination multiple wire termination block and wire stripper for use inelectrical systems requiring a 521 11.5. c1. ..339/98, 81/95 c, 339/274plurality of common conneclion Points A Supporting y or 151 Int. Cl..l-l0lr 9/08 containi'lg a meta Shaft is a chassis [58] Field 61 Search..339/95 97-99 or wwenien PP and insu'mcd wires be 339/274. 81/95 3neeted are simply inserted in appropriate holes therein and the shaftrotated a fraction of a revolution to partially strip the 56 R f C-tedwires and simultaneously force the bare ends between the inl l e arenasI temal sides of the block and the shaft, thereby making a com- UNITEDSTATES PATENTS mon electrical connection. Counterrotation effects adiscont' 3,042,896 7/1962 Doktor ..339/274 3,585,572 6/197l Krone et al..339/97 R 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patented July 4, 1972 3,675,182

I NVEN TOR. DAVID L. GREGORY ATTORNEY COMBINATION MULTIPLE WIRETERMINATION BLOCK AND WIRE STRIPPER SUMMARY The invention relates to theart of electrically connecting a number of lead wires to a commonterminal in complex electrical systems such as telephone exchanges orcomputer systems. Where it is required to connect a large number of suchleads to such a terminal, a technician must ordinarily first strip theinsulation from the end of each lead and laboriously connect, bysoldering or otherwise, each bared wire to the terminal or to a busstrip integral therewith. The invention provides a device which issufiiciently simple and inexpensive that it may be attached to and madea permanent part of the support or chassis upon which the components ofthe system are affixed. The device enables the leads to be stripped andsimultaneously connected to the common terminal by a simple mechanicalmanipulation and likewise permits disconnecting the leads from theterminal by a reversal of such manipulation.

A major object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive,eflicient and practical assembly, which to some extent may be regardedas a tool, by which a plurality of insulated wire leads may be strippedsimultaneously and quickly connected to a common terminal.

The prior art teaches the construction and operation of a number ofefiicient wire strippers and connecting devices, usually constructed asseparate tools. Such tools are manipulated by a technician from aposition removed from the electrical assembly in which connections areto be made. When completed, such tool (or tools) does not become a partof the assembly but is put back in the technician's tool box for futureuse. A subsidiary object of the invention is to provide a tool which issufficiently simple and inexpensive that it may be permanently attachedto the assembly and yet be reusable at that point for effecting adisconnection of the leads from the terminal or rewiring the circuitwith one or more new leads and for reconnecting the same or areplacement series of wires.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of theinvention will appear when reference is had to the followingspecification and accompanying drawings, in which FIG. I is aperspective view of an illustrative device con structed in accordancewith the invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-section taken through the center of thedevice with slots on the periphery of the internal rotatable shaft shownin one position;

FIG. 3 is a front view, in elevation, of the rotatable shaft alone withparts cut away and with the same turned to position 90 from that shownin FIG. 2, with the slots shown in another position;

FIG. 4 is a section taken along line 4 4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged section similar to FIG. 4 with the shaft rotated90 from the position shown in FIG. 4 with one wire shown in phantomlines and with part of the shalt-enclosing body illustrated, and

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of an alternative embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIG. 1, an illustrative device isshown in perspective as consisting of a support or block housing 10which may be conveniently made of thermosetting plastic insulatingmaterial having dielectric properties, through which is extended a metalshaft 11 of brass or nickel-plated material partially joumalled in endblocks 10a and 10b, which are secured to blocks l0 by any convenientmeans.

The block 10 is secured to the chassis containing the related electricalequipment or to another convenient support, as shown in FIG. 2, so thattorque applied to the shaft will not move the block. The block is boredor moulded to provide a cylindrical cavity or chamber for receivingshafl 11, the bore being slightly larger than the shaft to provide aslight clearance so that the shafi may rotate freely therein.

LII

On one side of block 10 and extending therethrough are a plurality ofspaced holes or ports bored to the overall diameter of the wires to bestripped and connected. The ends of these wires W are extended throughthese holes until they abut against an internal wall 19b of the shaft asshown in phantom lines in FIG. 5 and as will hereinafter be moreparticularly described.

In FIG. 2 is shown in longitudinal crow-section how shaft ll extendsthrough block 10 and is rotatable therein, for instance, by turning thesquared ends 12 or 13. After extending through end blocks 10:: and 10bshafi 11 comprises a cylinder 11a with enlarged cylindrical bearingportions 15 and 16 journalled at the end of the shaft-receiving cavity.Cylinder has a quadrant-shaped cut-out portion 19 as shown more clearlyin FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. Extending laterally from one face of the cut-outare a plurality of grooves 18 of such size as to receive the ends ofwires W when inserted through holes 14 in block 10, the holes beingaligned with such grooves when the shaft is in operative position. Onesuch groove, with one wire W extending therethrough until it is inabutment with the other face 19b of cut-out 19, is shown in detail inFIG. 5. The size of the grooves is determined so that the ends of thewires, with insulated covering thereon, will be compressed and fitsnugly therein when the shaft is turned, as will now be described.

The device is operated by inserting from one to 10 (in the illustrativeembodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5) unprepared insulated wires into the array ofholes 14 until the ends abut the face 196 and then turning the shaft 90by the use of a suitable tool at end 12 or I3. As the shaft is turned inthe direction of the arrow in FIG. 5, the wires are squeezed intogrooves 18 and gripped. As the rotation continues, the insulation ispenetrated by the peripheries of grooves 18, the wires partiallystripped, and the bared wires simultaneously forced between the sides ofthe cavity and the internal metal shaft, thereby making a commonelectrical connection. Since the wires are jammed in the space betweenthe shaft and the block, the technician will feel a substantial reactionand will know that the device is operating properly. To remove thewires, the process is reversed and the shaft turned 90 in the oppositedirection, afler which the wires can be easily removed.

An alternative device is shown in FIG. 6 comprising an integral plasticstamping such as one made of a phenolic condensation product 20 having alongitudinal entrance opening (not shown) through which may be inserteda shaft 21 in a direction at right angles to the longitudinal axis ofthe body of the stamping 20. At the ends of the stamping are extensions20a and 20b having aligned slots 30 adapted to receive and form abearing for the journal sections 25 and 26 of the shaft 21. The shaft 21is provided with quadrantia] cut-out 29 having axial faces 29a and 29bin one of which are provided slots 28 similar to the slots 18 in thefirst embodiment, which are aligned with the longitudinally spacedopenings 24 in the body 20.

Afier the shaft 21 is inserted in the body 20 a block 240 is fitted intothe entrance opening previously noted and O-ring clamps 200 are placedin grooves 20d in the extensions 20a and 20b.

For convenience in operation, a knurled thumb crank or nut 22 isintegrally formed at the end of shaft 21 so that the shaft may be turnedto strip the wires and connect them into a common electric connection asabove described.

In the embodiments shown, small pieces of insulation or device has beenused a certain number of times, but this will have no deleteriouseli'ect on the operation until the quadrant is filled. Should anyinstallation require continuous connection and disconnection, the endfaces 10a and 10b in the first embodiment and the plug 240 in thesecond, are removable, thereby making it possible to clear away suchdebris.

What 1 claim is:

l. A multiple wire temiination block and wire stripper comprising, incombination:

a supporting body,

said body being fonned with an interior cylindrical cavity,

and a metal shaft rotatable in said cavity,

said body being further formed with a plurality of holes extendingradially towards said shaft,

said shafl being formed with a quadrant-shaped cut-out and slotsadjacent thereto and cut in the periphery of the cylindrical surface ofsaid shaft,

said slots being aligned with said holes and constituting means forgripping the ends of insulated wires inserted in said holes,

said shah having formations for turning it so that the wires arepartially stripped and simultaneously electrically forced into intimateconnection with said shaft.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1 in which the body isconstructed of a thermosetting resin having dielectric properties.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 1 in which the body has removableends in which the shaft is joumalled.

4. A multiple wire termination block and stripper comprising, incombination:

a housing formed to provide end journals and an intermediate cylindricalchamber,

a metal shah having a body portion formed for rotation within saidcylindrical chamber and end portions projecting through said journals,

said housing being formed with spaced ports adapted to receive the endsof wires and extending in a direction generally normal to said shafi,

said shaft being formed with a cut-out portion providing an abutmentface against which said wires terminate when the shah is inwire-receiving position and an additional face then upstanding andparallel to the wires, together with slots in alignment with said portsextending transversely of the upstanding face and on the outer surfaceof said body, the spacing between said slots and the wall of saidchamber being so proportioned that, when the shaft is turned in adirection to bend the wire ends, the wire ends are partially strippedand electrically formed into firm contact with said shaft.

i l i It t

1. A multiple wire termination block and wire stripper comprising, incombination: a supporting body, said body being formed with an interiorcylindrical cavity, and a metal shaft rotatable in said cavity, saidbody being further formed with a plurality of holes extending radiallytowards said shaft, said shaft being formed with a quadrant-shapedcut-out and slots adjacent thereto and cut in the periphery of thecylindrical surface of said shaft, said slots being aligned with saidholes and constituting means for gripping the ends of insulated wiresinserted in said holes, said shaft having formations for turning it sothat the wires are partially stripped and simultaneously electricallyforced into intimate connection with said shaft.
 2. The combination asclaimed in claim 1 in which the body is constructed of a thermosettingresin having dielectric properties.
 3. The combination as claimed inclaim 1 in which the body has removable ends in which the shaft isjournalled.
 4. A multiple wire termination block and strippercomprising, in combination: a housing formed to provide end journals andan intermediate cylindrical chamber, a metal shaft having a body portionformed for rotation within said cylindrical chamber and end portionsprojecting through said journals, said housing being formed with spacedports adapted to receive the ends of wires and extending in a directiongenerally normal to said shaft, said shaft being formed with a cut-outportion providing an abutment face against which said wires terminatewhen the shaft is in wire-receiving position and an additional face thenupstanding and parallel to the wires, together with slots in alignmentwith said ports extending transversely of the upstanding face and on theouter surface of said body, the spacing between said slots and the wallof said chamber being so proportioned that, when the shaft is turned ina direction to bend the wire ends, the wire ends are partially strippedand electrically formed into firm contact with said shaft.